Telangana: TRS riding on a wave, set to form the first government

TRS stormed ahead in the region and looks set to form the first government in Telangana.

Riding on a wave of Telangana statehood sentiment, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) stormed ahead in the region and looks set to form the first government in Telangana which officially comes into existence on June 2. The TRS was leading in 65 of the 119 Assembly and 12 of the 17 Parliamentary constituencies.

It is basically TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao’s single-handed win. It was KCR who was quick to wrest the initiative as soon as Telangana Bill was passed on February 18 and took credit for leading Telangana agitation to its conclusions, and launched a high-pitched campaign leaving the Congress way behind.

The TRS’ campaign had no other campaigners except KCR who addressed over 300 public meetings, heli-hopping around and often addressing more than 10 meetings in a single day.

The TRS not only retained its north Telangana stronghold but also made inroads in south Telangana, a Congress bastion. TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao was leading in Medak Lok Sabha as well as Gajwal Assembly-he is contesting from both seats.

KCR’s son K T Rama Rao was leading in Sircilla in Karimnagar district while his daughter K Kavita was also leading in the Nizamabad Lok Sabha seat against Congress sitting MP Madhu Yakshi Goud.

BJP’s Bandaru Dattatreya was leading in Secunderabad Lok Sabha while MIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi had established a comfortable lead in Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat.

In Seemandhra, a tough fight is on between Telugu Desam Party and YSRCP. The TDP was leading in 90 of the 175 Assembly and 14 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats. The YSRCP was leading in 80 Assembly and 10 Lok Sabha seats.

But with each round the equations are changing. BJP’s K Hari Babu and Y S Vijayalakshmi, mother of Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, were going neck and neck in the crucial Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat. The TDP was ahead in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram in north Coastal Andhra.